1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a flow dividing mechanism for a conveyor system to change the flow of an article, e.g., a glass sheet from a first article movement path to a second article movement path.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Flow dividing mechanisms or flow gates are used with conveying systems to change the flow of an article from a first article movement path to selected ones of different article movement paths.
Russian Pat. No. 272,888 teaches a flow dividing mechanism employed to divide a continuous flow of sheet glass into two intermittent ones, i.e., from a first and second conveyor to a first and third conveyor. In general, the flow dividing mechanism includes (1) a first roller-table spacer, all the rollers of which, except the first one, have autonomous drives which ensure the transformation of the first spacer from a horizontal initial position to a second inclined position and vice versa and (2) a second roller-table spacer pivotally mounted about its first roller to move from a horizontal initial position to a second inclined position to be aligned with the axis of the inclined first roller-table spacer and misaligned with the axis of the third conveyor.
A glass sheet moves from the first conveyor onto the first roller-table spacer at which time all the rollers are simultaneously lowered into the inclined second position and the second roller-table spacer is rocked to the inclined second position aligned within the first spacer to receive the glass sheet. The first and second roller-table spacers are then moved to their initial positions to move a second sheet onto the first roller-table spacer while the sheet on the second roller-table space is moved to the third conveyor.
The flow dividing mechanism taught in the above-mentioned Russian Patent has drawbacks. For example, to advance the sheet along its path, the axis of the second roller-table has to be aligned with the third conveyor. In order to move a large number of consecutive sheets to the third conveyor (1) the roller-table spacers have to be moved frequently from their initial position to the second position or (2) roller-tables of extended length have to be used. This type of flow gate (1) accelerates the wear on the moving parts, (2) is not readily adaptable to high speed conveyors where the glass sheets are closely spaced e.g., about 6-10 inches apart (15.24 to 25.4 centimeters) and move at speeds of greater than about 150 feet per minute (45.72 meters per minute) and (3) are expensive when changing the flow of a large number of consecutive sheets.
It would be advantageous therefore to provide a flow gate, i.e., a flow dividing mechanism for conveyors that does not have the drawbacks of the prior art.